Because the movement of aquatic organisms, particularly fish, is often quite unpredictable, even the most thorough of aquatic field surveys has the potential to miss some important species. Usually the cost of increasing the intensity of sampling to detect these species is prohibitive, and not finding an organism does not necessarily mean that it isn’t there.

 

This is where habitat surveys come into their own. The concept is simple: we assess and map the types, quantity and quality of aquatic habitat present and combine this information with historical or predicted species lists. If a particular aquatic species is known to occur in the general area, and our site contains suitable high quality habitat, we can assume it’s there, even if it doesn’t show up in surveys.

 

Hydrographic mapping is often done simultaneously with habitat mapping and essentially involves creating a topographic map of the shape of the lake or river bed, much like a topographical map. The shape of a lake or river bed plays a fundamental role in limnological and ecological processes, as well as providing structure and habitat for aquatic organisms

 

Our habitat mapping capability has been used to provide information on:

 

• Habitat availability and quality (e.g. number and distribution of snags, reef, aquatic vegetation, etc.).

• Geomorphic parameters affecting hydrodynamics, limnological characteristics and usage by biota.

• Substrate analysis (e.g. proportion and location of sand/silt/rock substrate).

• Aquatic vegetation maps.

• Sediment movement over time

 

Aquateco has completed habitat and/or hydrographic assessments for numerous projects, including:

 

• Estuarine Hydrography and Substrate Mapping: Jabiru Island, Queensland.

• Habitat, Substrate and Hydrographic Mapping: Cobaki Broadwater, NSW.

• Bathyemtric Mapping, Substrate Assessment and Habitat Modelling: Hinze Dam, Queensland.

• Hydrographic and Substrate Mapping: Botany Bay, NSW.

• Habitat Assessment and Modelling: Lake Manchester, Queensland.

• Sediment Accumulation Mapping: York Cove Tasmania.

 

Aquateco can improve your aquatic ecosystem baseline studies and impact assessments using habitat and hydrographic mapping techniques.